Expert: Eaton County girl, 10, was choked until she blacked out, raped

8:05 PM,
Apr. 18, 2014

Higinio Rivera III (R) listens in Eaton County District Court during his preliminary hearing Friday in which he is accused of raping and choking a ten year old girl. Photo taken 4/18/2014 by Greg DeRuiter/LSJ

Written by

Kevin Grasha
Gannett Michigan

The 10-year-old girl was "in a panic" at Sparrow Hospital's emergency room the morning of March 8.

She was crying. Her voice box was bruised and her face was covered with tiny bruises - ruptured blood vessels - injuries an expert said were caused by strangulation. There were also broken blood vessels in her eyes.

Dr. Stephen Guertin, an expert in child sexual abuse, was called to the emergency room. ...